Contents

Hardware

As with prior consoles by Tectoy, the 2017 Mega Drive is a cost-reduced console sold for a budget price, however the system uses similar plastic moulds as the original Mega Drive console and its original three-button controllers. It also marks the return of a catridge slot, and includes a micro SD card reader on the back of the unit. The system also includes 22 built-in Mega Drive games, and houses an internal power supply, negating the need for the power brick typically associated with classic Sega consoles.

Despite initial reports of HDMI support, the 2017 Mega Drive can only connect to a television via composite video, attributed by Tectoy to the state of the Brazillian television market at the time (and the limited benefits HDMI can bring to images rendered internally at 320x224 or 256x224 resolutions). Unlike original Mega Drive models, the console outputs stereo audio through the composite signal, though the 3.5mm headphone jack is still an option.

While the system can play most standard Mega Drive games, the audio quality is poor, with notes out of tune and PSG samples in particular often coming through noisier and more distorted than intended. The system also appears to have difficulty handling the Mega Drive's shadow/highlight mode - for example, the shadows of Sonic and Tails during the Sonic the Hedgehog 3 special stage exhibit noticeable flicker during play.